Farmer Focus: Rain sees cows drop 1.5 litres in production

When I last wrote, I was hoping to squeeze in a fourth silage cut. We managed this in excellent conditions, and followed it by drilling Valerie winter barley into a great seed-bed. 

Little did I know that we would then have constant rain for the next few weeks. I gave up looking at the rain gauge when it started to overflow.

We were beginning to cut back on the amount of grass in the ration to about 35kg freshweight a cow, however, the rain has unfortunately brought an abrupt halt to that.

See also: Farmer reduces electricity costs by re-engineering RHI heatpump

About the author

Colin Murdoch

Ayrshire farmer and zero grazer Colin Murdoch switched from Holsteins to milking 225 Jerseys in 2019. The 182ha farm grows 40ha of winter and spring barley for a total mixed ration and parlour fed system supplying Graham’s Family Dairy.

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Consequently, cows have dropped about 1.5 litres in production.

We’ve had to increase the protein in the blend to try and counteract the loss of grass, but quite a few cows at the tail end of their lactation have decided their holidays are starting now. 

The zero-grazed grass was still analysing at 24% protein, so it just goes to show that no matter how good silage is, grass is better.

We do have about 10ha (25 acres) of grass that we could still cut if conditions do dry up.

I’m ever optimistic as since we started zero grazing in 2015 there has only been one year during which we did not manage to keep cutting until November.

I know when I read other articles in these two pages it is sometimes good to hear that other folks have problems too.  So, here is my contribution – lungworm. 

What an absolute nightmare we’ve had with dry cows out at grass – we have lost four.

Our vet, Tom, has been a fantastic help and we have carried out tests through Scotland’s Rural College (SRUC) and discovered we have a major problem with resistance to wormers. 

The first two we tried – major brand names, I might add – were of absolutely no use.

It was only after a third treatment that the group tested negative. The cows we lost looked fine until they calved and then they went downhill (presumably from a weakened immune system).

Apparently, ours is not an isolated case, so I encourage everyone to be vigilant as cattle are housed again.

I’ve just been through the horrendous process of renegotiating our electricity contract.

The increase looks like it will add about 5p/litre on to costs, and milk price increases seem to have stalled. Does anyone have a wind turbine I could borrow?